Cigarette roller



Feb. 23, 1943.

N. W. CUMMINS CIGARETTE ROLLER Filed Jan. 25. 1941 IHIII IHIIH IIH HIllulllu ulll uI NOEMA/V W CUMMl/VS INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 23, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFHQE CIGARETTE ROLLER Norman W. Cummins, Louisville, Ky., assignor to R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston- Salem, N. 0., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 23, 1941, Serial No. 375,600

4 Claims. (01. 131-51) This invention relates to cigarette rollers of the type wherein the closing movement of a cover, hinged to the rear end of a case, is utilized to actuate a transversely-disposed roller in the case into engagement with an overlying longitudinally-extending apron for rolling tobacco on the apron into a cylindrically shaped charge.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is more compact and substantially less expensive to manufacture than heretofore, without sacrificing its effectiveness or otherwise subjecting it to any disadvantage.

A cigarette roller embodying the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the roller in the open position;

Figure 2 is a section taken along line Z-Z of Figure 1;

Figure 2a is an enlarged fragmentary view taken, along line 2-2 of Figure 1, to show the relation of the parts adjacent the hinge;

Figure 3 is a section taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1 but with the device in a partially closed position;

Figure 3a is an enlarged fragmentary view taken, along line 33 of Figure 1, to show the relation of the parts adjacent the front end of the apron.

The cigarette roller as illustrated in the drawing includes a case I and a cover 2, swingably connected together at their rear ends by means of a hinge pin 3. The cover 2 is conventionally secured at its rear corners to the hinge pin 3 by hinge elements 2a. The case I is secured to hinge pin 3 by passing the pin through openings in hinge elements Ia which form an integral part of the guide rails 8 and by securing the guide rails fixedly to the case I as will be hereinafter described. The case and cover are preferably made substantially identical in size and shape so that they may be advantageously fashioned of light gauge sheet metal at a minimum of expense. The case, however, is provided, adjacent its front end, with a transversely disposed cigarette discharging opening 4.

The closing and opening movements of the cover are utilized to move a conventional, transversely disposed roller forwardly and rearwardly along the case in the customary manner; hence the ends of the roller 5 are connected, by means of a bail 6, to the inner surface of the cover intermediate its ends. The ends of the bail 6, adjacent the roller, pass through guide-ways I formed sides of the case to extend between front and rear ends thereof, in order to guide the roller during its movement along the case. While the rails 8 may be fabricated and secured in any suitable manner, they may be inexpensively manufactured by upwardly turning the side margins of a suitably shaped single sheet of metal 9 and inexpensively secured in place by fastening the sheet 9 mechanically to the inner surface of the case through the conventional use of lips 9a integrally formed on sheet 9 to project through appropriate slots in case I with the projecting ends peened over the case. This mode of securement is conventional, having been in Wide use prior to this invention, and forms no part of this invention. The sheet 9 likewise is provided with a cigarette discharging opening corresponding in shape and location to the cigarette discharging opening 4 in the case I.

In cigarette rollers of this type, the cover actuated roller 5 is forced, during its forward movement along the case, into tobacco rolling engagement with an overlying apron I0 extending longitudinally between the front and rear ends of the case. The front end of this apron is conventionally anchored to the case by securing it to an axle I I carried by the case adjacent the rear edge of the cigarette discharging opening 4. The axle II is loosely clamped to the case and held in its apron anchoring position by extending the ends of the axle underneath the guide rails 8. The bottom wall of the case supports the axle while a slight slope in the bottom wall of the case prevents the axle from traveling rearwardly away in guide-rails 8, which are mounted at opposite from the opening 4. A corresponding but oppositely disposed slope in the lower edges of the guide rails 8 prevents the axle from moving forwardly over the opening 4.

Heretofore, the rear end of the apron I0 has been anchored to the case by suitable means mounted on the case adjacent its rear end. In accordance with the present invention the rear end of the apron is anchored directly to hinge pin 3. This method of anchoring the apron has several distinct and substantial advantages. For example, it enables the overall length of the device to be reduced as much as 10%, thereby correspondingly rendering it more compact and reducing its cost Without, at the same time, subjecting it to any other disadvantage. Mor importantly, however, it not. only eliminates the labor and materials involved in providing special means for anchoring the rear end of the apron but anchors the rear end of the apron to a part which is openly accessible and one to which the apron may be easily and quickly secured without interfering with or otherwise complicating the normal assembly of such part. As a result of this method of anchoring the apron, the manufacturing cost of the cigarette roller as a whole can be and has been reduced by approximately 20%.

Since the operation of devices of this general character are Well understood, it should suflice'to say that when the device is fully opened, i. e. opened to a point where both the case and the cover lie flat, the apron is depressed around the front side of the roller to form a loop which is then filled with tobacco, the device then closed about half way, a gummed cigarette paper is then wetted and placed upon ithefapron with its gummed margin facing upwardly adjacent the rear edge of the discharge opening '4 and the-device thereupon completely closed during which the cigarette is rolled, sealed and discharged through opening.

Having described my invention, I-cl-aim:

1. A cigarette roller comprising: a case; a cover; a hinge pin to whichtherear ends of the case and cover are hinged; a cover=actuated roller transversely disposed in thezcase formovement forwardly and rearwardly alongthe case during the closing and opening movement of thecover; anda roller-actuated tobacco-rolling apron-overlying the roller and extending longitudinally of the case with its front'end anchoredto the :case and its rear end anchored'to the hinge pin.

2. A cigarette roller comprising: a case; a cover; a hinge pin having each of its endzportions hinged to both case and cover leavingitheiintermediate portion of the'zpin exposed-and unobstructed; a cover-actuated roller transversely; disposed in said casefor movement forwardlytand rearwardly along the case during the closing and opening'movement of said cover; andia rolleractuated. tobacco-rolling apron overlying :said roller and extending longitudinally 'of said case with its front end'anchored'to said case and'its "rear end anchored to the exposed portionsof said hinge pin.

3. A cigarette roller comprising: a case having a bottom wall, upwardly extending side and =zend walls, and atransverse cigarette discharge opening in itsbottom wallvadj'a'c'ent its front end; a

guide rail arranged adjacent each side ofltheucase to extend longitudinally from they front :to ?'the rear ofthecase, each rail having a-longitudinally extending guide slot and :being fixedly; secured tothe case; a cover; a hinge pin.posi'tionedsadjaduring the closing and opening movements of said cover; an apron rod anchored to the case adjarcentnthe rear edge of said discharge opening; and

a roller-actuated tobacco-rolling apron overlying 15 :said roller and extending longitudinally over said case with its front end anchored to said apron rod and its rear end anchored to the exposed portion of thehinge pin.

4. Acigarette roller comprising: a case having abottom wall, upwardly extending side and end wa11s,-and a transverse cigarette dischargeopening in its ,bottom -wal1-adjacent its front end; a guide rail arranged adjacent each side otthecase to extendlongitudinallyfrom the front to the-rear of the case, each railhaving -a longitudinally extending guide slot and being arranged with its lower longitudinaLedge-fixedly seoured to-the bottom of the case and with its upper longitudinal edge projecting above the case; a cover having a top wall, and downwardlyextending side and end walls; ahinge pin extending along ;-the rear-edge-of both case and cover Withits-end portions passing through the guide {rails ;of'the case and. being hinged to the rearcorners of the cover and with 1 its central portionremaining exposed and unobstructed; a vroller transversely disposed in said case between guide rails;:rolleractuating means pivotally mounted on said: cover and slidably mounted in said guide slots -for.'rotationally carrying said roller forwardly Jand rearwardly in a predetermined path along the case during the closingv andopening movements -of said coverran apron rod anchored with-in, and

tothe case adjacent ,thetrear edge ofsaid'discharge opening; and a ro1ler-actuated:tobaccorolling apron overlying jSa/ld" roller andgex-ten'ding 'long-itud-inally'over said 'case with: its frontend anchored to saidapron rod andaits rear-end 11anchored to the exposed portion of said:hi-nge pm, said apron being operative during the forward movement of said 1 rfoller to roll "a ;cigarette and "discharge it 1 through said discharge opening.

NORMAN W. ;.CUMMINS. 

